PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Yasuhiro Kido (ranked 3611 p4p, 3235 weight class) and Masato Kobayashi (ranked 399 p4p, 360 weight class). Yasuhiro Kido could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Masato Kobayashi's chin.

Kido
vs
Kobayashi

177 cm
25
156
0 - 1 - 0

177 cm
25
155
0 - 1 - 0

Excellent MT
Cuts easily

Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Yasuhiro Kido!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Masato Kobayashi!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kido tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Kido tries to clinch up.

Kobayashi moves into range and clinches up with Kido.

Kido breaks from the clinch.

Kobayashi gets a clinch.
Kobayashi is trying to break free.

Kobayashi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Kobayashi darts in and clinches Kido up against the ropes.

Kido breaks from the clinch.

Kobayashi moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kido tries to land a knee to the head but Kobayashi blocks with his arms.
Kobayashi leaning against his opponent.

Kido's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A combination from Kobayashi does no damage.
Kido moves to clinch but Kobayashi breaks away
and Kobayashi counters with a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kobayashi looks to clinch
and Kido counters with a three punch combo that has Kobayashi backing up. Kobayashi nods at Kido to acknowledge the strikes.
Kobayashi lands a head shot.

It looks like Yasuhiro Kido has been cut.
Kobayashi does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

Kido gets tackled into the ropes by Kobayashi. Kobayashi maintains the clinch.
Kido tries to circle away but Kobayashi has him pinned against the ropes.
Kido is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Kido lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Masato Kobayashi has been cut.
Kido is trying to maintain a safe position but Kobayashi gets an underhook and turns Kido into the ropes.

Kido breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Kobayashi moves into the clinch.
Kido putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Kobayashi in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kido pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kido avoids the head kick by Kobayashi.
Kido throws a big counter combination but Kobayashi scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Kido misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Kobayashi rushes Kido and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Kido is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Kido lands an elbow that stopped Kobayashi in his tracks for a moment.
Kido is trying to break the clinch but Kobayashi is controlling him.
Kobayashi is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Kido pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kido misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kido swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kido looks for the body kick but Kobayashi saw that one coming.
Kobayashi circles away from the clinch attempt.

Kido has closed the distance and engaged Kobayashi in a clinch.
Kobayashi is trying to force a seperation but Kido has the dominant position.
Kido has had enough of the clinch but Kobayashi keeps him there for the moment.
Kido looking to slow down the pace here.

Kido breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kido looks to land a combination but Kobayashi avoids it well.
Kido throws a sloppy head kick and Kobayashi moves out of range easily.

Kobayashi gets a clinch.
Kido tries to stall but Kobayashi uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.

Kido escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kobayashi thuds his shin into the meat of Kido's side.
Kobayashi throws a right hand that Kido ducks under and follows up with a left that Kido also avoids with ease.

Kido moves into the clinch.
Kido working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Kido wants to break free but Kobayashi has control.
Kobayashi tries to stall but Kido uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Kobayashi stalling in the clinch but Kido improves position.
Kobayashi blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kido lands an uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Kobayashi.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Yasuhiro Kido will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kido takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Kido jabs at Kobayashi's body.
Kobayashi on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Kobayashi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Kido has closed the distance and engaged Kobayashi in a clinch.
Kido has Kobayashi pressed against the ropes, preventing Kobayashi from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Kido escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Yasuhiro Kido is winning the standup battle so far.
Kido throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kobayashi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Kido seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kido misses with a body kick.

Kobayashi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kido is trying to break free.

Kobayashi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kobayashi walks into a straight right hand from Kido.
Yasuhiro Kido is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kobayashi lands a high kick!
Kobayashi scores with a kick to the midsection.

Kobayashi gets a clinch.

Kido pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kido throws a head kick that misses.
Kobayashi swats away the attempt to clinch by Kido.
Kido tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Kobayashi instigates a clinch.
Kobayashi avoids a wild elbow strike from Kido.
Kobayashi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kido manages to break the clinch.
Kobayashi keeps the fight on the outside.
Kido misses with a head kick.
Kido throws a nice looking combination but Kobayashi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A head kick misses from Kobayashi.
Kido swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Kido misses with a looping left.

Kobayashi moves into range and clinches up with Kido.
Kobayashi lands a left hand.

Kido breaks from the clinch.
Kobayashi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kobayashi tries to clinch but Kido is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kido forces Kobayashi back against the ropes and clinches.
Kido wants to get back to striking at distance but Kobayashi won't allow it.
Kido tries to circle away but Kobayashi has him pinned against the ropes.
Kido taking a breather.

Kobayashi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kobayashi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kido.

Kobayashi moves into the clinch successfully.

Kobayashi breaks the clinch.
Kobayashi is looking to clinch but Kido is avoiding it.
Kido is looking to clinch but Kobayashi is avoiding it.
Kobayashi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
A low kick from Kido is predictable there
and Kobayashi counters with a left and a right that stings Kido.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kido clinches with his opponent.
Kobayashi keeps control of Kido as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kido working Kobayashi over with knees to the body.
Kido scores with a nice hook to the head.
Masato Kobayashi seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Kido breaks from the clinch.
Kido bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Kobayashi goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
A low kick lands for Kido.

Kido rushes Kobayashi and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Kido wants to break free but Kobayashi has control.

Kido's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kobayashi throws a solid leg kick but Kido takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Kobayashi.
Kido tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Kobayashi manages to circle out of the way.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Masato Kobayashi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A solid body kick from Kobayashi.

Kido gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Kido manages to break the clinch.
Kido misses with a few strikes there.
Kobayashi is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Kobayashi clinches up with Kido and pushes him back against the ropes.

Kido breaks from the clinch.

Kido fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kobayashi, pushing him back against the ropes.
Kobayashi has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kido creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Kobayashi's defenses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A right hand to the body from Kobayashi.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kido.
Kido is stalling here.

Kobayashi breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kobayashi thows a body kick. Kido tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Kobayashi's coach down at Shadow Warriors (KT) was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Kobayashi's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Kido wants to clinch up but Kobayashi keeps it at a distance.
Kido scores with a one two! Kobayashi had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Kido lands with a kick to the temple. Kobayashi shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Kobayashi closes the distance and pushes Kido back into the ropes.
Kobayashi scores with a nice hook to the head.

Kobayashi manages to break the clinch.

Kobayashi closes the distance and clinches.

Kobayashi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kido throws a series of punches but Kobayashi avoids them all with ease.
Kobayashi throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Kobayashi closes the distance and clinches.
Kobayashi lands a knee to the body.
Kobayashi keeps control of Kido as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kobayashi manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Stalling in the clinch from Kido.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Kobayashi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kobayashi keeps the fight on the outside.
Kobayashi moves in looking to clinch but Kido pushes him off.
Kido tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kido closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Kobayashi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kobayashi fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Kobayashi has Kido up against the ropes in a clinch.

Kido breaks the clinch.
Kido throws a sloppy head kick
and Kobayashi counters with a thumping low kick.
Kido tries to clinch
and Kobayashi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Kido drives through and clinches with Kobayashi against the ropes.

Kobayashi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kobayashi misses with a head kick.

Kobayashi tries to keep at a distance but Kido has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kobayashi content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Kido pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kobayashi jabs Kido right on the nose. Kido blinks but takes it well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Kobayashi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Kobayashi manages to break the clinch.
Kido falls off balance throwing a combination
and Kobayashi counters with a one-two to the body.
A punch combination from Kobayashi misses.
Kobayashi avoids the head kick by Kido.
Kobayashi walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Kobayashi misses the shot to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Masato Kobayashi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Kobayashi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Masato Kobayashi!